Ashley Now Wants Just £80M Up Front For Newcastle

Written by Dr. Ed Harrison

1:57pm Sunday, October 18th, 2009

Commented 31 times

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After Newcastle’s pathetic showing yesterday in the first half -if that wasn’t the worst we’ve played this season then I don’t know what was – Ashley has come out today and said the club is for sale for £80M.

Mike Ashley – wants £80M up front for Newcastle

If Nottingham Forest had any finishers yesterday, they could have been three or four up in first half, such was the lethargic and unacceptable play of the Newcastle team in that first 45 minutes.

There was just too much of last year in that performance and it’s not good enough – and we have to hope that Chris has a “come to Jesus” meeting with the team after the game because we’ve now dropped 7 points of the last 9 and if we don’t improve quickly, we’ll rocket down the league with performances like those of yesterday.

And Mike Ashley has come out today and made some reasonable comments – Mike should speak more often, because we never know what he’s thinking, and today he sheds some thruth on the antics of trying to sell the club.

In a rare interview to the Sunday Times Mike said:

“I have to put £20m a year into the club — I spend more than every other fan put together puts into the club each year.”

“If you can’t pay up front to buy the club, you can’t afford it.” “Of course I regret it (buying NUFC). I never said I was an expert in football clubs. I tried my best.”

“But I accept my best was woefully short.”

The fact that he admits he’s been hopeless is helpful – because he has been – worse than hopeless in fact – but why doesn’t he replace Derek LLambias with somebody who knows how to run a club?

We very much respect the words of Bobby Robson and Bobby always thought that Mike was let down badly by the people he brought in. People like Dennis Wise and Derek Llambias, and in talks Bobby had with Ashley he always said Mike wanted to do the best he could – even though he couldn’t keep pouring millions into the coffers on Tyneside.

And Mike has hinted he is ready to give the job to Chris Hughton on a full-time basis, which is hardly surprising, although Chris has lots of work to do to ensure we can win at Scunthorpe on Tuesday night – another pathetic performance and another defeat will send shock-waves around Tyneside. We may well be on a slippery slope after the results of the last 3 games, against teams we should be beating.

Mike said:

“Chris (Hughton) deserves a shot at the title — he has done a great job.”

“But if I keep the club I will have the final say on players.” “I am the one who has to fund the club.”

And it seems that Barry Moat has been driving Mike wild with his paltry offers for the club, which he wants to pay for in installments – Mike said:

” If he wants to buy the club, he has got a one off opportunity to come up with the cash, £80M up front.”

It’s seemed to us for some time that Moat just doesn’t have enough money to buy the club, and remember the buying of the club is the easy part, because once you’ve bought the club you’ll need at least £20M for new players – at least that.

£80M for Newcastle seems a right old bargain – so where are the consortia who can afford to buy Newcastle – that’s always been a mystery to us?

We haven’t played well this season on the whole but managed to get to top of the league, now we’ve lost 7 out of the last 9 points with very poor performances and two of which were at home. It shows imo that Hughton isn’t the right man to lead us.

How I wish for someone to rid us of this ogre, fgs Moat if you have the money do the deal, if not then stfu and stop playing games.

This is paper talk, but even if its not, Moat could never afford the club. At out most NUFC is worth 140 million thats Premiership finishing in european positions. 100 million for a Championship club that needs investment and management its far too much. Ashley knows this, and once again has been advised that he should see if they get promoted on a shoe string and then raise his asking price. He loves gambling, and has Lamearse who’s only experience is running casino’s. Brilliant. While i respect Hughton for being professional about it all, he’s a good coach not a manager. Like Sammy Lee. With the squad so thin we are unless we’re 40 points clear gonna be 2 games away from potential free fall. I think to be honest Chris should continue to work the “squad” and Ashley to be the recluse that he alledgelly was before he bought NUFC. The only time we will get bought is at the end of the season. I always thought Dec/Jan but Ashley’s gambling addiction has stopped that. I only hope the last 3 games were our “blip” for the season and we get back to winning ways. (I have to say without Harewood who didnt look at all good yesterday very clumsy)

This only proves the the FCB has learned absolutely nothing in the time he has owned the club.

If you dont have the skill and ability to do the job yourself, you hire the best available who CAN do the job for you and then let him get on with it. MA should read the chapter in Brian Clough’s book entitled “What the average Owner/ Director knows about footbal”

So what about this so called American back bid that Sheard was suppose to be fronting, what happened to them having the funds that Ashley was looking for & waiting to get an answer this week…. seems like the only bid with any money is the NUST & their £20m!!! It a fraking joke, even the Wet Spams are about to have a £100m takeover according to SSN just 5 mins ago, a multinational consortium is looking at buying them, just shows how low down the packing order for buying we have fallen!!!

Even if these reports are correct – and Ashley has finally opened his mouth…..how can we believe a word he says?? It may just be another of his “public relations exercises” – like when he misled the fans by saying Sir Kevin had the final say on which players came or went, when he knew that wasn’t true?

What really concerns me regarding the sale is the fact that Pompey (twice) and Brum are more attractive than us. Granted we are in the Championship, but our facilities are excellent i.e. stadium/training ground etc, neither of which need any immediate funding. Not to mention our fantastic fanbase which guarantees good gate receipts. Surely at £80M we are an attractive investment, £2oM invested in January would almost certainly see us return to the PL. It does not add up why no bids of £80M have been tendered…………unless there is something “stinking” lurking beneath which is putting any bidder’s off.

Rem – Stability = Shearer! Many polls have resulted in around 80% of voters in favour of Shearer getting the job. He knows the club, the fans, the players, the area. He is the only person who will get the time to bring stability, and a professional look to the club. Add to that the fact that until he is given a chance he will always have his shadow over who is in charge at that present time.

Also, i’d like to add, if we do win the next 2 games then i certainly wont be jumping on the Hughton bandwagon. He is Ashley’s puppet, always has been, always will be and ive never wanted him in charge! Thats something i’ve said on here for a long time!

inevitability = shearer the question that needs an answer, until we get it we will never move forward, it real is that simple. its like physics, the movement of time, its just something that has too happen.

REM If we had Jesus Christ managing the club, it would take one loss and the “know nothings” would be calling for his head. Watched the Wigan vs. Citeh game to-day entertaining, with three of our ex-players having outstanding games.

Given=he hoofs it up the pitch . Bramble=he lacks concentration. N`Zogbia=ungratefull French (whatever)

So Ashley has admitted he knows shit about the game and will take eighty mill. up front. What does up front mean ? Think that would be a deal, eighty big ones and no hidden debts. Problem is we are still in a deep recession, in case no one has noticed and it will not be easy to find a buyer even at that price.

i agree that shearer would offer stability, but he would need someone more experienced than iain dowie with him. Shearer + a good manager as assistant would be good. But that would be hard.

i disagree though that hughton is a puppet of Ashley, he isnt even manager so he cant speak out against him and i ahve never heard him say anything favourbale about him. He is just an employee getting on with his job under a terrible boss

Has everybody viewed the online News of the World story regarding Keegan and Blogs. The story is probably untrue however comments left include the following from none other than : STARDUST !! :- ———————————————————— “Most of the geordie fans still seem to back Keegan. Only the gullible idiots, most of who dont go to games, have fallen for the spin by Ashley and his cronies. One blog written by a so called Newcastle fan who is based in America is particularly responsible for this pro Ashley – anti Keegan hype.” By Stardust. Posted October 18 2009 at 12:00 AM. ———————————————————— Surely this cannot be our very own Stardust????? The condecending little man who peppers the blogs with Anti-Keegan propoganda. If the newspaper story is true it will no doubt be Stardust who has upset Keegan ! Shameful! He then goes on to have a dig at this blog….. Unbelievable ! Hidden agendas or what ! However, my main question is for Stardust himself ! How do you know how the Geordie Fans who attend the games feel ? Batty names you as ‘Keith’ and I have it on good authority that you are NOT a season ticket holder. The closest you come to the Supporters of NUFC is online and through your Keyboard you sad little man !

I thought Moat had backing of so called ‘American Invastors’ but I’m disappointed that the article in the Times says its Moat with backing from a financial institution who he intends to pay off once we are promoted. That’s no bloody good because we will need every penny of any Prem money to basically buy a whole new team. From yesterday’s display, barely a handful of our current squad will stand any chance in the Premiership. Apart from the endorsement of Big Al, who hopes to get his hand on the tiller from Moat, I’m not encouraged by the whiff of Ponteland property deals and self-promotion associated with Moat+NUFC. OK, he has a box at SJP. Convinced? Me neither. Finally, shouldn’t this be exactly what NUSC have been waiting to hear? – a gilt edged opportunity to get a massive 25% stake for their 20 million, get shot of MA and tie down a young Geordie owner into the bargain? Are NUSC not asking or is Moat telling them ‘get lost, I want it all’?

health update

I was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer in February 2017 and completed four months of chemotherapy in late July and will continue to have hormone treatment.

After having various cat scans and a full bone scan recently, I met with the medical oncologist yesterday for a review of my condition.

The cancer in the bones has stabilized and has not spread further, and my PSA count has decreased significantly to being less than 0.1.

I am still recovering from some of the side effects of the chemo treatment - mainly severe fatigue and exhaustion.

Stage 4 cancer is not curable so I will continue to have cat scans and bone scans every four months to ensure the disease is not spreading.

Hopefully, the hormone treatment will keep working for a while yet and then we will switch to some other treatments that have been developed over the last few years.

It is as it is - I accept it - and will do the very best I can under the circumstances.

Ed Harrison

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